Syracuse, NY Pregnancy Discrimination Attorneys

Ready to Grow Your Family Without Growing Pain at Work? Syracuse Pregnancy Discrimination Attorneys Are On It

Finding out you’re pregnant should bring joy, not fear of losing your job or benefits. If your workplace treats you differently, cuts your hours, or pushes you out because you're pregnant, you’re not alone. Our employment law attorneys in Syracuse, NY fight for parents-to-be who've been mistreated during this vulnerable time.

At Horn Wright, LLP, we take a stand for expecting working families. You deserve respect, stability, and compassion, not penalties or bias. We know what it is like to be excited about becoming a parent and then feel anxious about bills, your career, or even scary questions like will you still have a job afterward.

We have helped employees across Central New York push back against unfair treatment from employers big and small. We are committed to holding them accountable so you can focus on your family, not a workplace crisis.

You Have Strong Legal Protections: We Show You How to Use Them

You have legal rights the moment your pregnancy becomes known at work. Under the federal Pregnancy Discrimination Act, your employer must treat you the same as any other employee who is temporarily limited. If others are allowed modified duties or leaves for similar reasons, you must be too.

In addition, New York State Human Rights Law, specifically Executive Law § 296, extends protections further. It ensures that employers cannot refuse to hire, fire, demote or penalize you because of pregnancy or childbirth.

If your employer denied you light duty, scheduled you for physically strenuous work during late pregnancy, or stripped away health benefits, these actions may violate federal and state law. Those rights are powerful—they protect your right to earn a living with dignity and safety.

When The Promise of Leave Turns Into A Punishment

Many workplaces say they offer family leave or flexible schedules, then punish you for using them. You planned for maternity leave ahead of time, but they sideline you afterward. You get passed over for projects or evaluations. That pain is not your fault—that is discrimination.

What patterns we spot

• After announcing pregnancy, you’re reassigned to less important tasks.
• Colleagues or supervisors make comments about your career dedication or physical limitations.
• You come back from leave and face subtle job reshuffling or unfair performance criticism.

These behaviors affect your morale and health. Beyond that they have legal consequences. Executive Law § 296 prohibits any adverse action based on pregnancy. Employers must provide reasonable accommodations, like breaks, lighter duties, or temporary transfers, just like they would for any employee with health limitations.

How We Build A Pregnancy Discrimination Case That Works

We turn your experience into a strong legal case through careful planning, documentation, and advocacy. The first step is understanding your story, concerns, and goals.

• We gather medical records, communications about your pregnancy, formal requests for accommodations or leave, evaluations, schedules, and emails reflecting changed assignments.
• We look into how your employer treated others with short-term health issues or family responsibilities.
• We document any instances of negative comments, demotions, or changes after your pregnancy notice.

Then we connect those facts to legal rights. Under federal and state law you may qualify for financial compensation, reinstatement, benefits restoration, and corrective action for the employer. We negotiate or file complaints as needed, no fluff, just hard choices and strong representation.

Fighting without fear

We represent expecting moms or dads, regardless of role, healthcare staff, retail workers, office employees, municipal workers, or small business staff. We have appeared before the NYS Division of Human Rights, the EEOC, and in civil court.

When employers refuse to do right, we escalate. We seek financial reparations like lost pay, benefits, emotional distress damages, attorney fees, and more. And we insist on changes that prevent this from happening again.

FAQs You Should Have Answers To

Can I be fired for being pregnant?
No. Unless your employer can prove pregnancy genuinely prevents you from doing your job, legally impossible, they cannot treat you differently. Both federal law and Executive Law § 296 bar that behavior.

Do I qualify for maternity leave?
If your employer has at least 50 employees within 75 miles, the Family and Medical Leave Act guarantees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave. New York Paid Family Leave also provides paid leave benefits. You cannot lose your job or benefits for taking legally entitled leave.

What about accommodations like light duty or modified schedules?
If you need adjustments due to pregnancy, your employer must treat you like others with similar needs. If they refuse without valid business reasons, you might have a case. We evaluate what type and other employees received.

Syracuse Parents Count On Us to Fight for Their Families

Expecting parents know that raising a child takes stability, especially from your paycheck. When employers treat pregnancy as a problem, families pay the price. We help restore financial peace, and prevent future parents from suffering the same way.

We are familiar with Syracuse employers, from healthcare systems to city agencies, small businesses to big distribution centers. We know their HR systems, benefit policies, and senior staff. We use that knowledge to push for quick resolution and right results.

What to Expect When You Engage Us

We begin with a conversation. You share your concerns. We gather relevant documents like emails or doctor communications. We identify what you lost, pay, benefits, projects, promotions.

Then we craft a complaint or demand letter citing federal law and Executive Law § 296. We send it to your employer and negotiate resolution, including back pay, reinstatement, benefits, and policy changes. If they do not take you seriously, we file with EEOC or NYSDHR, and sue in state or federal court if needed.

Clear Path Forward

We explain timelines and show you what success may look like. Settlements often come faster once documents show policy violations. You will know your rights, your risks, and how long things might take. You will not be left in the dark or in a financially vulnerable place.

Your Story Matters

Pregnancy is a time of hope and life changes. But it should never be a reason to lose hours, income, or dignity. We stand with all expecting parents who have been mistreated during this pivotal period.

We work with people in all types of workplaces, fast food, manufacturing, health systems, education, public service. We tailor each strategy so you are not just another case, but a family, a future.

If they took away your benefits, changed your schedule unfairly, denied your leave, or threatened your job, you have rights. We help you assert them.

Conclusion: You Deserve Compassion and Fairness

Pregnancy should be celebrated, not penalized. You should be supported, not sidelined. Federal law and Executive Law § 296 protect you at work. Our Syracuse employment law attorneys bring empathy and experience to the fight.

If you want to hire one of the best law firms recognized nationally for standing with working families, start this journey today.

Call our Syracuse office now and let us protect you and your family.